HAL focus on Civil Aircraft

India, April 5 -- HAL is now deliberately shifting focus to the design, development, manufacture and marketing of civil aircraft. According to HAL's Chairman, collaboration with foreign aircraft companies is being examined and "negotiations are on. We hope to strike a deal with one of the Companies." HAL had plans to co-produce turboprop airliners with capacity of 50-70 seats and are participating in the development of a 100 to 120-seat jetliner as also an executive aircraft with 10-seat capacity. Negotiations for joint collaborations would reportedly take place this year. Meanwhile, sub-contracts have been placed on HAL by some of the world's major airliner manufacturers including Boeing, Airbus Industrie, British Aerospace, Fokker and Dornier.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Vayu Aerospace & Defence Review.